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Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

This is my 6th installment of my piano collection “The Week Effort Collection”. This is a tribute to the Native American Indians and their culture. I found this piece extremely difficult to write. Not technically, but emotionally.

I was fortunate enough to have a Sioux Indian friend when I was growing up in Iowa. He introduced me to the Native American Indian culture and beliefs which I have carried with me my entire life. Such as, we’re all one with the web of life and destroying any part of nature has dire consequences, by disturbing the balance of nature, we affect all of us. Also not to waste anything; which means everything we consume should be of necessity and discarded remnants should be recycled, not throw away. And many other beliefs I hold dear to my heart.

The Native American Indians have helped Americans throughout history, starting with the Wampanoag tribe teaching the starving Pilgrims how to raise crops in 1621 which led to our First “Thanksgiving” because of the abundant harvest due to this interaction, all the way to the Navajo Code Talkers in World War II saving thousands of lives because of their undecipherable code. We’re quite familiar with all the conflicts in-between these events with “White” man and “Indian”, but I’m concentrating on the cooperative spirit on both sides in this piece. (I only have a hint of this conflict in the piece.)

Two main themes, the beginning is the “nature” theme which is like a running stream, constantly on the move. Most of the piece has this unrelenting metronomic motion tucked into the counterpoint. The other theme, really so simple it is just a motif, is the Native American Indian theme. It made up of a rising broken triad chord, three notes up, and then the 4th note usually falls back an interval, but not always. This motif goes full bore, elaborately lengthening at around 4:30 which turns it into a “true” melody, but it begins with the 4-note motif.

Well, enough talk…hope you enjoy this tribute. Oh yeah, almost forgot, the fading ending, much like a classic rock’n roll ending, actually represents the fact that these believes I mentioned, in my mind’s eye, are fading within the 21st century. Like all of us, the Native American Indians are focusing more on technology and modern living conveniences than being true to their heritage, not all of course, but enough to make me wonder if it will eventually fade away, hence the ending.

Re: Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

Just to let you all know, the links to box.com are not working properly. I can get one to work, but not both. When I get new link url for one, the other stops working. The score link is working. You can go there and then on the right margin they have the mp3 for "Before They Came". You can download it there. Sorry for the inconvenience. Technology@?$

Re: Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

Hello Cass!

Glad to see the next part of your strong, Week Effort! (I couldn't resist )

Puns aside, I really like both the composition and the subject on which it is based. The performance is great and the mood is well set. I really enjoyed the shifting feel to this piece. It seemed to never stand in one position for too long, but simply continued its wandering journey throughout.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of isolation in this piece. Despite all of the motion and shifting thoughts, I could easily imagine a lonely journey through the American Midwest during some of the colder months. Whether it was your intention or not, I don't know, but I greatly enjoyed it for that!

Re: Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

Well I can rest again - I've been waiting, almost holding my breath, waiting for your next "Week Effort" piece, Cass. Not only have I've been so engrossed by each of them, but I know they have a very important significance for you at this time in your life.

This one is absolutely sublime and rich. The source of inspiration, the plight of Native Americans, is a subject close to me. One of the best things about me is that I have a bit of Cherokee blood in me. A first cousin of mine is a renowned Cherokee artist in Oklahoma, having gone through the legal hoops of being officially acknowledged as a member of the Cherokee Nation.

The angst is there in your music, the beauty of the culture close behind, the drama of history - it's all reflected in your gorgeous work.

And, by the way, maybe things have changed since you posted this, but both links worked for me - for the score, and for the MP3. I have them both open right now in separate tabs.

Re: Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

Dear Cass:

I could ramble and write a lengthy dissertation on this piece.
As you said, it was an emotional experience for you to write this. Listening, one can feel the spirit of your thoughts, and, at least I, just go and fly with you..
No Chopin here, just raw power of emotions.
Beautiful.

Re: Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

Hi Michael,

Well first off, puns are always welcomed, part of my genetics I guess. Coming from someone that writes a Ludwig Van Joplin piece, or a Daylight Nocturne, or a Week Effort Collection. So thanks for that, man after my own heart.

Originally Posted by sanyarem

I really enjoyed the shifting feel to this piece. It seemed to never stand in one position for too long, but simply continued its wandering journey throughout. !

Again I thank you for this statement. That was exactly what I was wanting to express and didn’t know if I would be conceived by anyone that was my intent. It’s actually pretty hard to do, have a rambling feel but not lose control and end up having no structure or form in the piece.

As for your comment on the isolation feeling of the piece. The isolation, struggle, and plight of the American Indian as well as the harmony with nature, was ever present in my mind as I wrote this. So yes, imagining a lonely journey through the American Midwest is also right on.

Thanks so much for your post Michael, it help me know that what I wanted to convey in this piece was successful.

Re: Before They Came 6th piece in the "Week Effort collection"

Randy,

First off, I get to respond to a great novelist, Randy Bowser, for his exposé (in the good sense of the word) on how you constructed your video portion of “Skyscraper. Fascinating, now I want to try it. Looks like I’ll be procrastinating on finishing this piano collection now.

Originally Posted by rbowser-

Well I can rest again - I've been waiting, almost holding my breath, waiting for your next "Week Effort" piece, Cass. Not only have I've been so engrossed by each of them, but I know they have a very important significance for you at this time in your life.

Getting back to your response at hand, it appears I better write faster so as not to deprive you of oxygen, after all, there are better ways to inject “blues” into your music than doing that. Lol

You are correct in that these pieces in this collection do have a great significance in my life. I’m so glad just to be alive at this point, and my emotions I think have escalated 10-fold since that experience. I’m hoping at some point I can write again just to write music for music sake and have fun with it. This collection is helping me release some of the pent up feelings I’ve had in me for the past year. Of course there is nothing wrong with writing these, I just want to move on to other forms and do more experimental work in the future

Originally Posted by rbowser-

This one is absolutely sublime and rich. The source of inspiration, the plight of Native Americans, is a subject close to me. One of the best things about me is that I have a bit of Cherokee blood in me. A first cousin of mine is a renowned Cherokee artist in Oklahoma, having gone through the legal hoops of being officially acknowledged as a member of the Cherokee Nation.

Unfortunately I have no Native American Indian blood in me, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like I do have the heritage within my soul. I’m a bit jealous that you do have some, and even more that it is Cherokee which is one of my favorite tribes. That explains a lot about your “giving” nature on this forum.

Originally Posted by rbowser-

The angst is there in your music, the beauty of the culture close behind, the drama of history - it's all reflected in your gorgeous work..

Thanks Randy for such an apt description of this piece. My favorite type of piece for piano is either a fantasy or a “tone poem” such as this one. I love telling a story, and since I’m not a literary writer by a long shot, I have to express it in music.

Originally Posted by rbowser-

And, by the way, maybe things have changed since you posted this, but both links worked for me - for the score, and for the MP3. I have them both open right now in separate tabs.

The link is FINALLY working for me today, but not until today (Friday). When it was working for you, it still was not at my end. The problem had to do with Box.com not Northern Sounds. Usually as you know, if you wait a few days, it miraculously starts to work again, such as is the case here. Rather than spending countless hours trying to fix these things, I’ve learn to wait and move on.

Well, I’d better get going on the next piece, so as not to induce another episode of asphyxia on your behalf! My recommendation, …. Take a deep breath……..go back to writing marvelous works.